How to Succeed in Dauntless Without Even Trying
by XxPaperbackWriterxX
Summary: Valarie Matthews just wanted to get away from her boring life in Dauntless to a somewhat simpler one in Dauntless. But all of that changes when she meets the ambitious asshole named Eric. This is the story of how to succeed in Dauntless without even trying. Rated T for suggestive sexual themes and language. Sorry about the summary, but give it a try!
1. Update!

**A/N: Two years is a very long time. So I'm sorry I haven't updated since two years ago, college happened and I just was crazy busy with everything and I just completely put this on the side. My bad, but I'm taking this story up again but I'm changing it a little bit, like adding new characters, taking some out and I'm also changing the style so it's chronological, it's easier that way! Also, this story is up on wattpad if you wanna read it there, i'll be posting the chapters up there first. They also will be up here! I hope you still are interested in the story! So if you still are, I'll be replacing each chapter with the new ones so start over when I do if you like!**

**Happy international women's day!**


	2. Prologue: Anywhere But Here

**A/N: Hello! This is the updated version of the first chapter...well prologue really! So read it, it'll be really different than the old version of this, well a little bit. But for those of you who are new and just coming across my lovely story, this is an Eric/OC fanfic which will be AU. The whole Purity War will be included, but in a different way. Insurgent and Allegiant will be referenced, but it won't be like those books...if that makes any sense! SO enjoy:)**

Before the world went to hell and society was more than just our little civilization, some woman named Eleanor Roosevelt said, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent."

I think that's a load of bull. Honestly, clearly Mrs. Roosevelt has never been chased around an entire school just to avoid the abnormally large Dauntless kids who think it's funny to shove you in lockers and garbage cans because you're short enough to fit in them. Then they only let you out when you give them the answer to the homework or upcoming exam. I refuse every time, I mean how will they learn if I give them all the answers? They won't, so I'm really doing them a favor. I usually spend most of my days like this, running for my life to get away from these awful people. I've gotten quite fast actually.

But enough of my rambling, this moment is where my journey begins. Today is the last day anyone will find me running away from anything. Today will be the last day a teacher will look at me with disdain if I only get a 98 on my test. Why is today the last day of my monotonous Erudite life? Because tomorrow is the day I take my aptitude test. You see, tomorrow I will take a test that decides my future as a functioning member of society. I will join a faction and hopefully thrive there without the influence of my mother hovering over me.

I cannot wait until the time comes where I can make my own path...make a name for myself. I don't know where I will be going after this, and frankly I don't care; I just need to be out of Erudite.

My name is Valerie Matthews and this is my story.


	3. Mother Knows Best, or so she thinks

**A/N: First new chapter! Yay:) Enjoy! Please review if you can!**

I am naturally a curious person. I think it's the Erudite in me. So I shouldn't find it strange that I wonder how other people interact with their families, especially in other factions. In Erudite, at least with my mother, meals are a quiet affair. On occasion she'll ask me about school and test me on random facts, but that is it. I know some Erudite families are the same: not very compassionate. Tonight is no different, even though tomorrow is the choosing ceremony. For once I welcome the awkward silence because I don't think I could handle discussing my day today. I took my aptitude test and let's just say it did not go over very well.

_I welcomed the change of routine when I went to school on the day of my aptitude test, which is not a very Erudite thing. It was nice to see all of my fellow 16 year olds gather together, no one really having an advantage over one another._

_I followed my fellow Erudites into our section where we'd be tested. I took my seat next to Jake Liston. Jake's an okay kid, a complete moron but kind nonetheless._

_"Are you nervous Valerie?" He asks me timidly as we wait to be called._

_"No," I answer somewhat-honestly. "It's not like we're gonna be __tested__ tested. It's just about our personalities."_

_Jake just nods in response, apparently too nervous to carry on the conversation. It seems that mostly everyone is like that, too nervous to try to brag about how awesome they're gonna do. Which is a sure sign that even the Erudites are nervous because we do love to try to outshine everyone, especially each other._

_"Liston, Matthews, and Mays."_

_I take a deep breath as I follow Jake and Mays to where we will be tested. This is my deciding moment. They say that we get to choose the faction, but we all know you have to go to where your aptitude tells you to go._

_I follow the lady who called my name and she points to one of the closed off doors and leaves me. I take a moment to calm my nerves, but it passes too quickly when a kind voice calls my name._

_"Hello Miss Matthews," she greets as I walk into the testing room. She has a kind voice along with a kind face. I could tell my her demeanor and clothing that she's Abnegation. "My name is Natalie, how are you today?"_

_"Fine." I say quickly. I'm too nervous to try to conversate with this Abnegation woman, I just need to get this over with._

_"I take it you're Jeannine's daughter?" She asks politely, I just nod in response. I don't want to talk about my mother today, I just want to get my result._

_"Well you will drink this and then your simulation will begin."_

_I take the shot and suddenly Natalie (my test giver) disappears. The room is empty and no one responds when I call out to them._

_Then three objects appear, I don't really pay attention to what they are because then I hear my mother's voice and she says: "choose"._

_"Why?" I respond loudly. How would meat or a knife help me? It's not like I'll get to keep them when I get out of the simulation._

_Before I could ponder why in the world I need to choose an item, they disappear and in their place a giant dog appears. It seems nice enough, until it attacks me._

_This simulation may not be real, but it sure as hell feels like it. The dog tries to bite my head off, literally. It's scratching and biting everywhere it could reach. Whenever I fight or flight situation appears I always lean towards the flight side. But for some reason, I just can't get away from this rabid hound._

_I start to fight back, I start hitting back, just trying to get this wretched dog off of me. It's fighting back even harder and I suddenly have the fear that I might die in this simulation. I punch the dog as hard as I can, fighting for my life. I somehow manage to get out from under the dog and it starts to bite my leg. I have no clue what to do, so I kick and yell and it suddenly disappears, and a puppy is in its place._

_I reach out for the puppy and scratch it, it licks me and wags its tail. I start to feel guilty for beating it up earlier...but I justify my actions because it was in self-defense right?_

_Another scene is created around me. I am on some sort of bus or train. A man comes up to me and shows me a picture screaming: "Do you know him?" I realize for him to go away I have to lie. So I say "Yes"._

_He begins to say something else but I am suddenly back in the testing room. I look around at my surroundings and I see that everything is how it was, Natalie and all._

_"How did I do?" I ask immediately. I have waited to long for this, so my patience is wearing thin._

_She looks worried for a moment, but she eventually answers._

_"Unfortunately your results were inconclusive."_

_"What?" I ask, confused out of my mind. Everyone has to get an answer. Everyone belongs somewhere, right?_

_"The test could not place you anywhere, you got more than one result." She says calmly. "That causes the test to result you with an inconclusive."_

_"But that's not possible! Everyone gets a result! It's how things go, you take the test, you get a result and then you go to the faction. It's how it goes."_

_"Not for everyone Miss Matthews," Natalie says in a serene tone, clearly trying to calm me down. "There are a few people who get multiple results, in your case you got Dauntless, Erudite and Amity. This just means that you are a little different. We call people like you Divergent."_

_I stay silent for a moment to take it all in...I always thought Divergents were a myth, something that our parents told us just to scare us into listening to them. I can't be one of them. I'm not so different from anyone else right?_

_"They're a myth," I say shakily. "They're just scary bedtime stories. I can't be one of them! I'm not bad, I'm just me! I'm not divergent!"_

_"Yes you are!" She says firmly. I wait in response, honestly having nothing to say back. I don't want to be divergent. I just want to be normal. "Don't waste any more time denying it, it won't do any good. Now being divergent is extremely dangerous. Choose your faction wisely. Erudite has been looking for ways to snuff out Divergents for a long time now. Blend in and don't draw attention to yourself. Remember, do NOT tell anyone about this."_

The rest of the day went by in a haze. I hardly remember anything. All I could think about is how I am one of them. Natalie warned me about how Erudite wants to sniff out Divergents. I remember when my mother would warn me about them and how they will destroy our society.

It's just that now I am the thing she wants to destroy. But I'm not a danger to our society! I like the way things work, yes it is flawed but it still works. It's efficient, it makes sense.

"Valerie," my mother calls, pulling me out of my thoughts. "I hope your test went well today."

I wait for a moment, not too sure how to respond. I know Erudite has access to all results. Has she seen mine? Does she know it came up inconclusive? Natalie said to be inconspicuous, I cannot appear nervous. My mother is staring at me intensely, waiting for my answer.

"It was fine," I say carefully. I realize that is the best option. She looks curious for a moment, as if trying to analyze the result of an experiment.

"I know you will make the right choice Valerie. Remember, the beauty of our society is the ability to choose."

"I know," I respond as I pick at my dinner. I look around at our apartment. It's made of glass so we can see everything. Our apartment has the best view, you could even see the small outlines of Amity fields. I take a moment to admire my luxurious home. This may be the last night I spend here. I will miss it.

I then take a long look at my mother. If I choose differently, I know she will never forgive me. It would be a disgrace, especially after all those rumors she spread when the Abnegation's leader's left. She can be cold and distant, but I will still miss her, she is my mom after all."

"You know what I find strange," I begin. She looks back up with me and nods for me to continue. "How some daughters look exactly like their mothers while others do not. I mean look at Allie Harrison, she is a carbon copy of her mother, meanwhile her sister looks nothing like her, it's weird."

"Your curiosity has always been astounding," she says teasingly. I always bring up random curiosities like this during our time together. We try to find answers to this odd insights. It's our Erudite way of bonding. I need this last insight finding moment before I leave for the rest of my life.

"I think it's because we look nothing alike," I continue, as if this pointless observation does not actually mean anything more than a curiosity on the workings of genetics.

"You look more like your father, especially with that strawberry blonde hair of yours...you do have my blue eyes though."

"I suppose," I murmur thoughtfully. "Mom...what was dad like?"

"Well," she begins. She never likes talking about my father. He died when I was very little, and ever since then, it's like he never existed. "I know he would have wanted you to succeed here in Erudite."

That's her way of saying stay here. She thinks she knows I will prosper most in Erudite like she did. I know that assumption could not be more false. I have no idea where I will be going, but it certainly will not be here.


	4. I Can Go the Distance

Soo people let me know that it showed up super weird, so hopefully this is better! Sorry about that

A/N: hi! I hope you guys are liking the story so far! Let me know what you think of it. And I don't know if people actually read these things but for those of you who do, I just want to make it known that the whole Genetic Purity War will be interpreted very differently. So it will happen, but in a different way.

P.S. Sorry for the long time in between updates, but you know...finals are a thing...and life happens and life is stressful and you know. I'll try to pump out chapters faster, this one was just hard to write, but now I've got my flow and a plan!

Thanks to everyone who commented/favorited/generally read this! You're all wonderful ㈴2

I sat frozen in my seat waiting for the other factions to arrive. Today is Choosing Day. I had just about 24 hours to decide which faction I wanted to spend the rest of my life in. And as I wait for the ceremony to start, I still have no idea where to go. Staying in Erudite is not an option. Although my mother is the faction leader, I know her curiosity of Divergents would outweigh her love of me. It's how Erudites' minds work, academia and learning matter more than emotional attachments.

So you can see why I don't really want to stay here.

But as I watch the other factions file in, I still can't decide where to go. The Candor come in loud and it sounds like they're arguing. I have too many secrets to hide to go to Candor...well one major secret. Also, as much as I love proving people wrong, simply arguing with others would be a very tiresome task after a while. So they are definitely a no.

As Amity comes in, I notice how happy they look. Many are humming and skipping into their seats. They seem appealing, very happy and carefree...it would be a nice change. But would it be boring? I mean, would things be too monotonous? I like challenges, I enjoy forcing my brain to work in a way it normally wouldn't. That aspect of me is purely Erudite and although I cannot stay in my home, I still want to be able to learn. No offense to Amity, but I do not believe they will challenge me enough. The same goes for Abnegation, I know I'm not a selfless person and I am not about to give up everything. Kudos to the people who can though.

That leaves Dauntless. The most daring of the factions. They protect us from the outside world and keep the factionless in place. They always seem so genuinely happy, not the high happy of the Amity, but joyful in a rowdy way. It's appealing...I feel drawn to them somehow, they are so different from Erudite...it's fascinating.

My attention to the Dauntless is drawn away as my lovely mother begins to address the crowd. It's Erudites turn to host the Choosing Ceremony, and as the leader of Erudite, my mother gets to speak and show off her knowledge to the whole community. She likes to brag.

I can't bring myself to listen about how this ceremony is essential to our peaceful society and all that bull shit. I just want to choose and leave. I just want to face the disappointment and shock in my mother's face and get on with it. It sounds cold, but believe me, it's easier this way. As they say, "faction before blood".

"Valerie Matthews."

Finally my name is called, and I take a moment to relax. I can do this, I can make the choice that is best for me. Well best fits my curiosity, and the best chance I have for keeping my secret while fulfilling my love for learning new things.

It sounds stupid when I think it out loud, doesn't it?

Anyway, I make my way up to the stage where the bowls are. I apprehensively look to my mother and she hands me the knife. As expected, I take it and cut my palm a little. I let my blood drip onto the hot coals that represent Dauntless. And that was it. I have just decided my fate and it really wasn't that bad...until my mother coldly announces that I chose Dauntless. The Dauntless cheer in response, but it sounds a tad reluctant. I can't help but look up at her one last time before I head over to my new faction. I can't tell if she's disappointed or just curious. I honestly don't know which would be worse - a curious Jeanine is a dangerous Jeanine.

I make my way over to my loud new faction, trying to process what I just did. I have changed my own life, and it excites me to have that control. I allow myself to smile as I take a seat next to an Amity transfer. She seems to feel the same way as I do - maybe trying out a new life won't be so bad after all.

The rest of the "choosers" went through their Choosing Ceremony and quite a few came to Dauntless. All of us have chosen to leave our lives behind for one of adventure and challenge. We all look a bit nervous, but I can't wait to begin.

The ceremony ends and the Dauntless start to run out first. We initiates catch on pretty quickly and follow after them. We run down the stairs and keep on running when we get out. At first I felt free as I ran away from Erudite, but now I'm getting tired and I could tell everyone else was too. The leaders don't stop running though. Then they start jumping on the passing train.

"Do we follow them?" One of the other initiates shouted. I wanted to yell back at him and sarcastically say no, we have to find our own way, but I don't. I'm too busy trying to figure out when the opportune time to jump on the train would be. Everyone else is just randomly jumping on the train and I try to follow. I push my legs off the ground as hard as I can. I grip the handle and try to push myself on the train. My hands are too sweaty and it's very difficult to climb on a moving train. It looks pretty badass, but it's hard.

Anyway, I notice a hand grip my wrist and I see the Amity girl. I finally make it on the train with her help.

"Thank you," I say breathlessly.

"Don't mention it," she replies. She stretches her hand out for me to take. "Joanie."

"Valerie," I say taking her hand. We're both out of breath and. The two of us stand secluded away from the other initiates. Most of them are from Candor, but there's a few from Erudite that I recognize. I notice Joanie is the only Amity, and also the only one who looks even remotely friendly. The rest look brutish and ready to push anyone off this train car. I think I'll stay back here...

The Dauntless members start jumping off the train car and onto the building. Joanie looks at me incredulously as if to say, "seriously?" I simply shrug and take a running start to jump off. Joanie immediately follows me and we jump off nearly in unison. We land on a roof not so gracefully. Joanie lands on her knees while I trip and actually fall flat on my face. What a way to start my new life.

"Welcome to Dauntless," begins one of the Dauntless. He's blonde and fierce looking with piercings all over. He has a cold look that just exudes leadership, which was directed right at Joanie and I trying to get back on our feet. Not the best sign.

"Once our graceful initiates can find it in themselves to stand up and come to attention, we can begin," said the Dauntless, looking directly at us. The other initiates turn to look at us as we quickly stand and brush off the dirt from our clothes. "Thank you. My name is Eric and I am one of the Dauntless leaders. This initiation is not for the faint hearted. Consider yourselves warned. This is the alternate entrance to the Dauntless compound. You all must enter by jumping off of the roof into our compound."

"Is there something to catch us at the bottom?" an Erudite yelled.

"No, they're gonna let us all die." I say before I can stop myself. But can you blame me? Do these people really think they're gonna just let us all fall to our deaths? Apparently they do because they all just stare at me aghast.

"Since you're so confident, why don't you go first?" Eric the leader challenges me. He thinks that since I'm an Erudite I'm all logic and words, but no action. Well, challenge accepted asshole.

"Why not?" I respond spitefully. I walk over to the edge, and look down. I can't see the ground and I won't lie and say it doesn't scare me, but it does. I look over to the leader and he's smirking at me, as if he can feel my fear. I feel a rush of defiance and leap off the edge.

I feel weightless as I fall and its amazing! It's over all too soon as I feel myself it some sort of net. I bounce back up and I can't help but let out a squeal of glee as I fall back down. I roll off the net and fall messily onto the concrete floor. I find myself next to a pair of legs. Male legs. I look up at the owner of the legs to find a guy a little older than me staring down at me, exasperated. He sighs, sounding very annoyed and asks my name.

"Uh Valerie," I say.

"First jumper, Valerie!" shouts the guy. The surrounding Dauntless cheer. He motions for me to move away and I watch the other initiates jump down. I wait for Joanie, my new friend here. She's one of the last to come down and She smiles when she see me and comes over.

"These people are insane," she whispers to me. I can only find it in me to nod, because she's right, these people are a bit nuts. I can't tell if I like it or not. It's too late to back out now either way.

"Transfers, you will follow me," says the man who took my name. "Dauntless-Born, you will go with Lauren, I'm assuming you don't need a tour of the compound."

The Dauntless-Born laugh and follow a girl out. The man turns back to us, there's only a little over 15 of us.

"My name is Four and I will be your training instructor during initiation. It is a three part process and will determine your place here in Dauntless. Now if you will follow me, I will give you a tour of the Dauntless compound."

Dauntless is a very interesting place. It's almost like an underground bunker that I've read about in the old books about our ancient past. The people are interesting as well, they're very lively. I'm being literal, they're so alive and happy! It's odd to see people so loose and with their hair down. It's very different from Erudite, where people just studied and interacted primarily for academic reasons.

I can't help but love this place...

I take in everything around me as we continued to tour Dauntless. I hardly listened to Four talk, what he was saying was common sense information anyway, like "Don't jump in the gorge". Well I don't plan on it sir. Thank you.

When we make it to what looks like a dorm, we stop.

"This is where you'll be sleeping, both boys and girls."

The boys looked creepily excited, while the girls looked uncomfortable. Four noticed this and he mentioned that we'd even be sharing the bathrooms, which whipped the smile off of their faces. Pervs.

After he left, everyone seemed too nervous to do much, so we just went to bed and got ready for our first day of training.

Training starts early. Too early, and that's coming from a girl who has spent her whole life waking up early because intelligent people need to take advantage of the hours of the day. Apparently brave people do too. It sucks.

Anyway, we get rudely woken up and told to wear the training clothes that have been given to us and then go down for breakfast. We did as we were told, and I found myself next to Joanie and a few other transfers from Candor and Erudite.

"So what do you think we'll be doing today?" asks the Erudite. I recognize him as a boy named Frank. He was always really nice, but never that bright.

"Probably learn the ropes, general things," I offer as I eat my oatmeal and sausage. "It'll probably be a transition day or something."

I assumed that today would be a day of learning the general rules and regulations of Dauntless, along with what they do here. I was confident, but when breakfast was over, I learned I couldn't have been more wrong.

We get there only to find Four and Eric impatiently waiting for us in what seems like a gym. There are punching bags, dummies, weights...and everything else that would fulfill a workout junkie's dream.

"Good morning initiates!" Eric shouts as we enter. He observes us taking everything in before he continues. "The first stage to your initiation deals with physical ability. In order to even survive here, you need to be able to fight. We defend our civilization from outside threats, you cannot be weak when handed this burden.

"Furthermore, this first stage determines your fate here in dauntless. You will be ranked with the Dauntless born, but only 15 of you will make it through until the end. The rest of you will become factionless."

He pauses for a moment, waiting for a reaction. It's like he wants us to defy him, but we're all too shocked to say anything. Well I shouldn't say we, I'm more confused than shocked. Why kick manpower out of a faction that relies on it? It seems foolish to me.

A few moments pass of awkward, tense silence before Eric says anything more. He smirks and motions us to follow him.

He takes us to where all of the fighting equipment is.

"First we will observe you practice your fighting skills, then tomorrow, you will begin fighting each other, you will be ranked." Four began. "I suggest you use your time wisely."

I noticed the other initiates take up the weights or other exercise equipment and begin practicing. I look and see a punching bag is beside me, not sure what else to do, I begin punching it with all of the force I have. I try different moves as time goes on, and I believe I'm doing pretty well until I notice a looming figure beside me. It's Eric, observing me with a wicked grin on his face.

"You must be Valerie Matthews, the pride of Erudite," he taunts as I try to concentrate.

"I'm not Erudite anymore, I'm Dauntless now," I state, reaffirming the "faction before blood" mentality. He was testing me, and he knew that I knew that. He just laughed.

"We'll see, know-all," he says, walking away.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I inquire heatedly.

"You should've stayed in Erudite where you belong, where you'd be nothing more than a nameless scientist."

"You're wrong." I can't help but stare as he begins to walk away again.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me, you're wrong," I restate confidently. "I will make it here, I swear it."

He smirks again before he answers. "Give me 10 push ups initiate."

I do as he says but I could barely even do one. He laughs boisterously and steps down hard on my back as I try again. He leans into me and whispers, "This is where you belong Matthews - at my feet. Remember your place here."

The rest of the morning does not go well. Eric berates me constantly, pushing me to the edge of my patience. The other initiates (besides Joanie) laugh along with him, because how could a nerd like me, ever make it in this harsh faction.

As we go to lunch, I notice many point and whisper as I walk by. I hear what they say, it's just different variations of the same thing: how long will she make it? How will Jeanine deal with her daughter being factionless?

Am I really that pathetic? That not even 3 hours into my first day, I'm already doomed?

Well screw that, and screw them.

I will make it here, I don't care how much harder I have to work than everyone else - I'll prove all of the assholes wrong.


End file.
